Roller leveler mechanism



Nov. l5, 1927. 1,649,706

G. L. KELLEY ET AL ROLLER LEVELER MEGHANI SM Filed May 29. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

Nov. 15, 1927. 'f 1,649,706

G. L. KELLEY ET Al..

ROLLER LEVELER MECHANISM Filed May 29, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 -GEOG l.. KEL/.EY

CAROLUS S. [/(SERG/AN A TTORNEY.

Nov. 15, E92?. 1,649,706

G. L. KELLEY ET m.

ROLLER LEVELER MECHANJESM Filed May 29. 1925 5 sneek-sheet s U GU.. WWU@ @CHW V.. B

Patented Nov. l5, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,649,706 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. KELLEY AND CAROLUS L. EKSERGIAN, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS r.I O EDWARD G. BUDD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F PHILA- DELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLLER 'LEVELER MECHANISM.

Appneauon mea may 29, 1925.

The machine of our invention is of a type embodied in the commonly known roller leveler used in the sheet metal industries for straightening or4 leveling sheets of material prior to forming operatlons such as for eX- ainple, die pressing, drawing, and the like. In the main, however, it may asreadily be disassociated from the roller leveler per se. In combination with the roller leveler the machine which we have invented has the advantage of low costof machine, a smaller floor space for the sheet working and leveling operations, a reduction in the amount of labor required, and an increase in the rate of production. Yet it may well be that there are other fields of utility for the sheet working apparatus per se.

Our invention is from another angle, an improvement over and above the machine Of copending application, Serial No. 684,480, filed January 5, 1924, in which is disclosed a machine of similar type.

Prior to our invention of this co-pending application and the present ione, devices and machines for cold working sheet metal were Lsubject to very serious short comings. Not

only was the degree to which the cold worku ing could be carried so heavily limited as to'preclude those relative great extents of working necessary if the best results were to be obtained in the deep drawing and highly complex forming operations of sheet metal manufacturing, but such degree as was possible was not regulatable to a suflicient extent to secure that nice balance between the plasticity required for perfect surfacing of the formed articles and the leveling required for perfect surfacing of the sheet stock. Further. the operation was under manual control of such nature as to seriously reduce the possible rate of production with the apparatus used. Still further, the apparatus itself was ill-suited to coo crate with Working elements capable of pro ucing that great degree of working requisite for full utility, notably where vthe draft or pinched rolls are incapable of exerting that traction necessary to satisfactorily progress a sheet of material through the machine under this heavy Work.

The objects of our invention have been to overcome these and other shortcomings of Serial N0. 33,602.

such machines. In the attainment of them we make the operation of the machine fully automatic. We provide a working element shiftable into and out of working relations to Ya sheet of material being progressed through the machine. and provide an automatic means for shifting the working element controlled in this automatic action by the progress of the sheet itself through the machine and hearing a determinate time ratio of operation to the period of progress of the sheet through the machine. In the particular embodiment disclosed, we combine a sheet working apparatus with the roller leveler, provide draft rolls in advance of the roller leveler and in line in the eld thereof, sheet holddown rolls in advance of and spaced from the draft rolls, and a sheet working roll intermediate the holo-down and draft rolls and shiftable automatically across the space between the hold down and draft rolls into and out of working relation toi a sheetpassing between them, together with an automatic shiftinfr device controlled in its shifting operation l bythe passage of the sheet from the hold-down rolls to the draft rolls. Additionally We provide a means to regulate the degree of shifting movement to any extent desired, whereby the working roll may be projected bodily across thc normal path of movement from the hold-down of the Working rolls to any distance desired, making this distance regulatable and adjustable whereby there is pr0- duced -a Working loop around the several rolls of any extent desired. The pressure of the drift rolls on the sheet is increased b v the provision of a plurality of equalized and adjustable radial draft thrust bearings intermediate the ends of the/rolls. Through these and the' associated other features of` our invention which will appear in the draw-v mgs and the accompanying detailed description, We accomplish a degree of adaptability of regulation and control of the work and uniformity the like of which was not heretofore obtainable and withal render the machine as a whole moreV precise, positive, durable.y efficient and rapid in operation.

Of the drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a general side elevation of one embodiment of our invention;

lll

Fig. 2, is a side elevation partly broken away and partly in section of the sluiting device for the working element;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation of a pair of controlled relays used 1n connection with this shifting device;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation with end portions broken away of the draft or pmch rolls and the equalized intermediated bearings of the same;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectlon of line 5 5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a diagram of electrical c1rcu1t control connections through which the automatic operation is effected.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section through the end bearing of one of the hold-down rolls.

The general direction and path of progress of the sheets of material through the machine are designated by the line 10--10, and the associated arrow. The draft or pinch rolls which draw the sheets into the machine, are designated 11. There are two adjacent pairs of these rolls. The Working element is designated 12, and located in advance of the draft rolls 11. It is in the form of a roll having an axis parallel to the axes of the rolls 11. i/Vhile the axes of rolls 11 arerelatively speaking fixed in position, the axis of roll 12 is reciprocable transverse- 1y of the path of movement of the sheets from one side of this path of movement' to the other. The idle position of the working element out of engagement with the sheet to be worked, (is shown in dotted lines,) while the working position is shown in full lines. The hold-down rolls are designated 13. lThese are located in advance of the working roll 12. While the draft rolls 11 pinch the sheet, and under traction draw the sheet intothe machine, the rolls 13 do not pinch the sheet, but have their axes so related that there is normally sulicient clearance between them to permit sheet to be thrust freely between them and into tractive engagement with the draft rolls 11.

The rolls of the roller leveler apparatus entering into the combination are designated 14. These rolls, too, as'respects the working element 12, have relatively fixed axes. The showing here, however, is diagrammatic and the relative locations of the axes are not indicated. It is intended that they may be related according to any fof the well known principles in roller levelers known in the art. Ordinarily the pairs are alternately vertically displaced in opposite directions whereby the sheet of material to be leveled is alternately bent slightly in opposite directions to level or straighten the sheets of material fed through it. Too, they may be adjustably driven in any desired manner, and any desired means of relative adjustment may be provided. The path of movement of the sheet through these rolls is in general a continuance of the path of movement of the sheet through the rolls 11, 12, and 13.

15 is the shifting device for the working roll 12. It is in the form of a compressed air cylinder and piston. The piston rod 16 is connected through the crank arm 17 to the shaft (i8 which is mounted for oscillatory movement in the opposite sides of the machine. A crank arm 17 is rigidly connected to each end of the shaft 68 and to the free end of cach arm 17 is pivotally connected the lower end of the connectmg rod 18. 'lherc is thus provided a connecting rod 18 on each side of the machine, the upper ends of which are connected pivotally to opposite sides of the shiftable support 19 for the working roll 12 whereby upon actuation of the device 15 the latter is moved into and out of working engagement with the sheet of material to be rolled.

Assuming a sheet of material to be fed t0 the machine on the path 10-10 while the working element is in the lower position shown in dotted lines, it may be freely projected through the hold-down rolls 13 into tractive engagement with rolls 11. These rolls engage the sheet with such firm traction that it is positively drawn into the machine, and furthermore with such traction that when the working roll 12 is shifted to its full line or working engagement position the sheet is not withdrawn from rolls 11, but instead is drawn freely through the hold-down rolls 13 by the working forces imposed by the element 12 until there is formed a complete loop 20 in the body ol' the sheet extending from the hold-down rolls 13 upward over the working roll 12, and then again down around the upper of the front pair of rolls 11 and into the machine. Jointly, by reason of the firm tractive engagement of rolls 11, and the freedom of movement of the sheet through the holddown rolls 13, there is no slippage of the sheet between rolls 11, and its progress through the machine is unin'ipeded by reason of the working movement. The relatively sharp and double bending of the sheet as it passes around the loop so formed, works the mass of sheet internally and imparts to it that degree of cold plasticity desired. From the pinch rollers, it is projectedon its path of movement directly into the roller leveler apparatus 14, where the body of the sheet'. and particularly its surface, is given that level or plane which it is the object of the lcveler apparatus to produce.

The automatic control is effected through a pair of relays 21 and 22, the former being an electro-magnetically controlled valve as shown in Fig. 3. and the latter an air controlled valve in turn controlled by the electromagnetic valve. The air controlled relay lUU llo

magnetic relay 21 is controlled over the electric circuit 24 shown diagrammatically 'in Fig. 6. This circuit includes the magnet ot' relay 2l and a battery 24 and has its opposite terminals embodied in the hold-down' and draft rolls 13 and 11, respectively. These rolls are insulated from each other as indicated by the insulation 25 appearing in the section of Fig. 7 whereby normally the circuit is maintained open. However, when a sheet ot' material is projected through the liold-down rolls 13 into the draft rolls 11, the circuit is completed by way of the body of the sheet as indicated clearly in Fig. 6. Immediately the electromagnetic relay 21 is energized, air relay 22 actuated, and air admitted to cylinder 15 to shift the working roll 12 into working engagement with the sheet and establish the working loop 20. The circuit remains closed as long as the sheet is 'progressing through the machine. The moment the rear end of the sheet leaves the hold-down rolls 13, however, the circuit is broken, electromagnetic relay is deenergized and air is discharged from cylinder 15 of the shifting device, shitting the working roll out of working relation to the sheet dropping it to its idle position where a new sheet may be freely inserted without interference therefrom. The moment the new sheet is inserted, however, it is again shifted into working relation to recreate the loop which is again maintained through the progress of the sheet through the machine. The shifting of the working element into and out of working relation to the sheet is thereby automatically governed by the progress of the sheet ,through the machine, and moreover bears a determinate time ratio to the period ot progress otthe sheet through the machine. The rolls of such machines are driven by relatively constant speed motors.

llVhile the character and detailed construction of relays 21 and 22 and shifting device 15 may be varied in large measure without departing from the spirit. of our invention, yet the character and construction given in the embodiment illustrated is a part ot' the invention. The main air line enters the casing 26 of theair relay 22 by port 27 to an inner chamber 28. The bottom of this port is closed Yby an inwardly opening poppet valve 29. while the top is closed by a removable screw cap 3() otl sufficient diameter to permit the replacement and removal. of the valve within chamber 28. This valve 29 controls the admission of air to the shitting device 15 by way ot' inlet conduit 23 communicating with an intermediate chamber 31. The outlet, however, is controlled by a second poppet valve 32, opening outwardly from the bottom of chamber 31 and controlling the communication of this chamber with the atmosphere through discharge chamber 33 and port 34 'in the lower part of the casing 26. The lower part of the casing is in the form of a compressed air cylinderA 35 containing a piston body 36 of elongated form. Discharge valve 32 is formed integrally with this piston. The

piston, further, has an axially upward rodlike extension 37 effecting the sliding engagement with the admission valve 29 borne thereon and aligned thereby. One or more washers 38'surrounding the base ot' extension `37 engage valve 2S) when piston 35 moves upwardly, thereby opening valve 29 when valve 32 is closed. The lower end ot the piston is closed by a screw cap 39 forming a seating for the piston against the upper end of cylinder head screw cap 40 when the piston 36 is down. This piston 36 is preferably made of hollowT form to reduce its weight. The screw cap 4() is of sufficient. diameter to permit freeinsertion and removal ot the piston 36. lMoreover this cap 40 carries the inlet and discharge passage 41 through which air is admitted to andfrom cylinder 35 to actuate piston 36.

This admission conduit 41 communicates with the, electromagnetic control valve 21 by means of registering passage way 42 in the lower end of casing 26, communicating with passage way 43 in the base 44 of relay 21 secured to tie casing 26 by bolts 45 and with inlet and discharge passage 46 of relay 21. This passage '46 1s controlled by the small poppet valve 47 carried by the extension 43 from the core 49 of the electromagnet 50. Valve 47 has two seats, the one 51, through which it shuts off the source of air supply from the mains through conduit 52, and the other 53, by means of which it shuts off communication of the admission conduit 46 with the atmosphere by way of discharge conduit 54. As long as the valve is down, no air is admitted to relay 22 and this relay is discharged to atmosphere by way of conduit 54. When the electromagnet 50 is actuated, however, b `the closure of circuit 24, valve 47 is raise closing the other relay 22 from the atmosphere, and opening it by way of inlet 42 to a source of air supply with the result that piston 36 is actuated upwardly.

This upward movement closes` discharge valve 32, thus cutting ott the cylinder 15 of the shifting device from the atmosphere, and through the washers 38, causes the inlet valve 29 to open to a degree determined by the number of washers 38 in place, adn1itting air to cylinder 15 and effecting the shifting of the working roll 12 into working relation with the sheet in progress through the machine. The valves remain in this relation as long as the sheet is in progress through the machine. But the moment the end of the sheet is released by the holdilet 54, and then valves 32 and 29 which in turn vent shifting cylinder 15 to atmosphere and closes oil' this connection with any source of air supply. The working element promptly falls back out of working relation to the path of progress of the sheet.

In the quick shifting movement eifectcd through device 15, the parts require considerable inertia and if allowed to act untrammeled, this would produce impacting and other strains in the machine and objectionable noises. According to our invention, We provide in connection with the shifting device the shock absorbing mechanism 55. This is in the form of a heavy spiral spring and other devices coacting with the piston rod 16 of the shifting device. The spring is housed in the casing 56, screw threaded into the head 57 of a bridge support 58 projecting from the head of cylinder 15. The spring is confined at its outer end by the head of the casing 56 and at its inner end by means of a lianged collar 59 working freely on rod 16. The flange of this collar bears on the inner end of the spring 55', and also upon a. ring 60 of rubber or other resilient shock absorbing material, mounted in the scat 61 in the inner end of the casing 56. Vithout the collar 59, surrounding rod 16, is a washer 62 of rubber or other shock absorbing material also freely mounted on the rod. lVithout the washer 62, in turn, is a recessed metal disc 63, engaging the washer within its recess and also free on the rod. The collar 64 is, however, fixed on the rod and whenever the rod is actuated, engages at some point in the stroke with the plate 63 and through it with the washer 62, collar 59, ring and kspring 55 in series whereby the stroke of the device is shock absorbed and the inertia annulled and smooth operation assured. The precise point of engagement is determined by adjustment of casing 56 made by turning it in the head 57.

The degree to which the working roll 12 enters into Working relation with the sheet,

is regulated by an adjusting mechanism 65-66 in the form oi' a hand operated pinion 67 engaging with a gear formed integrally on the casing 56. This regulates the length of stroke of the device 15. When this adjustment is made to regulate the length of stroke, the shock absorbing mechanism 55 is adjusted accordingly. The adjustment of the stroke in this manner adjusts the distance the working roll 12 is projected across the path of progress of the sheet and accordingly adjusts the height of thc loop 2O and the degree of reverse bending and the result of Working effected.

These apparatuses, devices, and mechanisms are mounted in a common framework as clearly appears in Fig. 1, and constitute together a unitary apparatus. rlhe rolls are commonly journaled in or supported from the frame. The support 19 for the working roll 12 slides in a vertically extending guide way 68 in the frame, and the equalized radial draft thrust bearings 69 i'or the draft rolls 11 are mounted in the same frame (sce Figs. 1, Ll and 5). There are in this embodiment four of these bearings, two associated with the two upper rolls 11, and two associatedwith the two lower rolls 11. Each consists oi three rollers 70` having comparatively large main bodies, the central one of which bears against both rolls 11 engaged by the bearing, and the outer ones of which bear respectively against the outer rolls 11 as clearly appears in Fig. 5. Rolls 7() are carried in a body casing upon pintles 71, journaled in liner roller or ball bearings 72 in the opposite ends of the casing, each roller 7() being located in an individual pocket 73 and having bearings 72 individual to itself. The bearings 72 may be of any well known type, but are rendered demountable by bolting on the bearing casings as at 7l. Each axial pair of bearings is thrust against the rolls 11 by the ball and socket support. The ball and socket support of the lower axial bearing comprises depression 75 in the casingy 69 within which bears the rounded upper end of heavy pin 76 having a screw threaded engagement with the cross bar 77 below rollers 11 as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and Ll. When these pins are adjusted, the thrust of the lower bearing 69 is regulated normally, this setting once given being not changed. The upper axial pair ot' bearings is supported by balls 78, held iu socket 79 in casings 69 by means of the equalizer bars 80, the ends ofwhich are socketed to receive the upper surfaces of the balls 78. This equalizer bar is heavy and strong. Its center is of enlarged section and provided with a deep socket 81 in the cupped end of which is engaged the rounded end of a very heavy vertically extended pin S2 having a screw threaded engagement with the upper cross bar 81 which overlies the upper rollers 11. At the upper cud ot the threaded central pivotal point 8l. is provided a hand wheel82 by means ot' which the two upperbearings 69may be adjusted jointly to exert any desired radial thrust. So, the lower bearings having been set to a proper position with respect to the lower draft rolls 11` it is only necessary to turn the single hand wheel 82 l'or an equalized radial bearing thrust in each of the pairs of the draft rolls. The pressure is longitudinally equalized as between the pairs of draft rolls 11 by means of the ball and cup mountings 78 and 79, and transversely equalized through the equalizable bar and its ball ltll) lll",

. mounted and socket connect-ion with the centra-1 pin 82.

A. few remaining details need to be mentioned to complete the description. The character of the insulation provided for the cold drawn rolls 13, is shown in Fig. 7 which is alongitudinal section taken through the end bearings of these rolls and the working roll 12. These rolls have their ends rovided with internal roller bearings 83,

iournaled on pins 84 removably mounted in the frame work of the machine. The insulation blank is provided between the pin and the inner raceways of the bearings 83, between the end of the pin and the roll, and between the end of the roll and the frame whereby the entire roll is insulated Vat each end from all contact with the frame. End thrust washers 85 may be provided to prevent the wear of the end of the roll against theV insulation. It is to be observed that the working roll l2 is insulated in a similar manner so that in the event that the sheet of material being fed should accidentally contact with the working roll, the circuit would not be prematurely closed.

The time relation between the moment of initial contact of the end of the inserted sheet with the first pair of draft rolls 11, and the moment of shifting of the working roll 12, is such that the sheet has progressed from the first pair of draft rolls 11 to the second pair 11, at the moment of shifting of the roll -12 so that the bodily movement of the sheet by the shifting roll 12 does not interfere with the uniform movement of progression through the machine, the sheet beingl freely and irretrievably pinched between the airsof draft rollers 11. This time perio known means, but in the usual course when two relays such as 21 and 22 are used in the controlling circuit of the shifting device, the time interval is quite sufficient for this purpose.

The entire group of pinch rollers, working roll and hold down rollers, it will be noted is mounted in a pair of right and left frame castings 86 which are in turn secured to the end of the frame Work 87 of the roller leveler apparatus. So mounted this portion of the ap aratus may be mounted and defiom its combination with the leveler apparatus at will. The shifting device 15, and the associated devices and mechavnisms of the automatic control are mounted on the legs 88 of the machine through the intermediary of transverse channel frame members 89 and 90 which in turn support longitudinal beams 91 upon which the shifting device 15 and associated parts is supported. This support is by means of a transverse bar 92, carrying a pedestal 93, supporting the device 15 by a transverse pivot 94. By this means when the shifting can be adjusted by any well` device 15 is actuated to operate the working roll 12 through the bell crank 17, the cylinder oscillates slightly about its transverse pivot 94, since there is no cross head and connecting rod connection or its equivalent between the piston rod 16 and the bell crank 17. In this connection it carries with it the shock absorbing device 55 and associJ ated parts including the adjusting mechanism 65. The weight ofthis shifting device and attached mechanism is counter-balanced Iin part by the spiral spring 95 between the `bridge 58 which carries `the shock absorbing device 55 and the fixed support such as the floor or' apart of the base of the machine. The connection 23 of relay 22 with device 15 is preferably flexible.

In addition to the shock absorbing device 55 which acts on a forward stroke, there is provided at each of the supports 19 of the working roll, a,rebound spring 964 which takes the shock of the rebound when the working roll is shifted away from working relation with the sheet. The degree of movement of these shock absorbin devices is relatively small and may be ad]usted to suit requirements.

It has been our endeavor in formulating thel annexed claims to use that terminology that will of itself insure to meet all of the many modifications of which our invention is doubtless capable without departing from its generic spirit. And we desire to have it understood that we claim such modifications whether or not we have evolved that terminology best suited to express such generic spirit.

What we claim is:

1. A machine for eliminating stretcher strains in a sheet of material, comprising a group of straightening rolls, an auxiliary sheet-working roll movable across the working plane of said straightening rolls, and a controlling device for said sheet-working roll controlled by the said sheet during its progress through the machine.

2. A machine for cold working a sheet of material comprising a plurality of cooperating rolls positioned to Hex and bend repeatedly a sheet of metal passed between them, a working element'located in advance of said rolls and arranged for shifting into and out of relation to the sheet of material whereby to impart a preliminary bend to said sheet, and means for automatically shiftin said element into working position only a ter the sheet has been progressed a predetermined distance into the machine.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a Working element shiftable into and out of working relation -to a sheet of material being progressed through the machine, a ower operated shifting device for said wor ing element, and an electrical control circuit for said shifting device opened tively constitute the -terminus of an electrical control circuit, and a sheet working element shiftable transversely from the path between the hold down and the draft rolls, and shiftiner of which is governed over said electrical control circuit.

5. A machine of the character described comprising spaced rolls governing the progress of the sheet of material through the machine over a determinate path, and a sheet working element `the working engagement of which with the sheet is automatically controlled by the progress of the sheet across the space between said rolls.

6. A machine of the character described comprising a working element projectable into the path of movement of a sheet of material between spaced guide means, controlling means governing said projection by the progress of said sheet between said s aced means and means for adjusting the egree of projection.

7. A machine of the character described comprising spaced` guide means governing the progress of a sheet of material through the machine over a determinate path, a sheet working element the working engagement ot which with the sheet is automatically controlled by the progress of said sheet over the space between said guide means, and means Ior varying the degree of said engagement.

8. A machine of the character described,

comprising a roller leveler apparatus, a sheet hold down roll in advance of said apparatus, and a sheet working roll reciprocable betwleen said apparatus and said hold down ro l.

9. A machine of the character described comprising a sheet working element partly projectable into and out of operative rela- .tion by means of the sheet of material in progress through the machine, a` shock absorbing. means for the working clement operative in its disengaging movement from the work.

10. A machine of the character described, a pair of draft rolls, and a plurality of equalized radial draft thrust bearings intermediate the ends of the rolls, a sheet working element partly projectable into and ont of operative relation by means of the sheet ot' material in progress through the machine, a shock absorbing means for the working element operative in its disengaging movement from the work, together with means to adjust said bearings in conjunction toward and from the rolls.

11. A machine for cold Working a sheet of metal comprising a series of leveler rolls, a working clement, said element being mounted for projection from a position substantially below the working plane to a position substantially above said plane, and means for automatically insuring the upward projection of said working element only after the sheet has progressed beyond said work ing element a predetermined distance.

ln testimony whereof we hereunto alix oursignatures.

GEORGE L. KELLEY. CAROLUS L. EKSERGIAN. 

